PARIS, April 20 – Elon Musk has been called to appear before French prosecutors in Paris as authorities expand their investigation into his social media platform X, examining allegations connected to the site’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, algorithmic manipulation, and unauthorized data harvesting.
The cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office is spearheading the investigation.
Reuters was unable to contact Musk’s representatives regarding the summons. When initial allegations surfaced in July, Musk rejected the claims and characterized the investigation as “politically motivated.”
The investigation began on January 12, 2025, when Paris prosecutors launched a probe following two formal complaints, one submitted by a French legislator, regarding allegedly biased algorithms.
Initially, the case focused on unauthorized data harvesting and algorithmic manipulation charges before being transferred to police on July 9, 2025.
Authorities broadened their investigation in November 2025 after discovering new evidence, adding charges related to involvement in possessing and distributing child exploitation imagery and denying crimes against humanity.
By January 2026, investigators added another charge concerning the distribution of sexual content using someone’s likeness without permission, following the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images through X’s Grok system.
According to prosecutors, X transitioned in 2025 from using the SAFER child protection system to developing their own internal monitoring system. Officials documented an 81.4% decrease in reports X submitted to the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding France between June and October 2025.
Prosecutors further claim that Grok allowed users to generate sexualized content, including images of minors and victims of the Crans-Montana fire, while also producing hate speech and material that glorified crimes against humanity.
Consulted experts told prosecutors that proper safeguards could have prevented these issues.
Investigators also point to X’s failure to supply basic user information in multiple hate speech and antisemitism investigations, which has obstructed their inquiries.
The Paris prosecutor’s office announced the summons following a February police raid on X’s Paris headquarters, conducted with Europol assistance. Officials stated they are coordinating with prosecutors in other nations.
Musk has been called for an “audition libre,” a voluntary questioning session where authorities can interview someone without making an arrest. The individual can leave at any time and choose not to speak, though any statements made are officially documented and may have legal implications.
The investigation can proceed regardless of whether Musk provides testimony. Legal professionals suggest it’s advisable to explain any refusal to appear to avoid the impression of obstructing the investigation.
The potential criminal charges being examined include:
• Involvement in possessing pornographic images of minors
• Involvement in organized distribution or provision of pornographic images of minors
• Violation of personal image rights (sexual deepfakes)
• Denial of crimes against humanity (Holocaust denial)
• Unauthorized data extraction from automated systems by organized groups
• Tampering with automated system operations by organized groups
• Operating an illegal online platform through organized groups
